Pastor’s Ponderings

In last month’s Good News Letter, I started a series of articles called “why we are United Methodists” and this month I am listing the basic concepts of what we believe as United Methodists. John Wesley, our founder, believed there were a number of common Christian beliefs and we have adopted those beliefs as United Methodists.

These core beliefs are as follow:

We believe in and worship the divine Trinity. We praise God one in three divine persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the full divinity of Jesus Christ.

We believe Christ to be the eternal, supreme God.

We believe in the atonement and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life and poured out his emptiness for human salvation.

We believe that our salvation comes about through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the biblical authority in which Scripture is the sufficient rule of both Christian faith and our practice. The Bible contains all that is necessary for human salvation and for the reform of the church.

We believe in the justification by faith alone. Faith must engage our heart and our mind in knowing God in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe in regeneration and holiness. As an evangelical church we affirm that grace is received from God as we continue to renew our trust in God.

We believe in the Christian church. The church is a, “society” of believers and is necessary to come together to hear the Word of God, receive the sacraments and be in friendship together to support one another.

We believe in the sacraments of baptism and communion. Baptism is the evidence that we are forgiven of our sins and we are born again into a new birth through Jesus Christ. Communion, The Lord’s Supper, offers us outward sacramental signs of bread and wine and the inward grace signified by these signs.

By accepting these beliefs as Wesleyans and as United Methodist, we experience as John Wesley would call, “the way of salvation” or “the way to heaven.” John Wesley recognizes three stages of receiving grace – first Prevenient Grace, second Justifying Grace and thirdly Sanctifying Grace. These three forms of grace come with us as we find God’s way to salvation for each one of us.

Archives

Acts 8:31

Let the words of our mouths, and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.

Won’t you join us?

In this place, among these people,
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
the lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed and mountains moved.
Won't you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

Remembering our Shut-Ins

The Significance of Oneself

The Significance of oneself cannot be measured by the fame and glory of this world or the material things we have but by the Love and Compassion you have shown to others everyday of your life without fame or glory or thanks just in the name of love.
And maybe all the little things we do for one another is the most significant thing you and I might do in our lifetime.
Mi Sun